News

By: VIBE/ April 18, 2013

An explosion struck a west Texas fertilizer plant that left nearly 180 injured and over 15 dead, ABC News reports.

Authorities say that the fire and explosion that occurred in a small town north of Waco has destroyed homes and they fear ammonia may have been released into the air. The blast occurred just before 8 p.m. Thursday (Apr. 17).

According to Waco Police Department Sgt. William Swanton, as many as four volunteer firefighters have also turned up missing. He said they were the first responders who were battling the fire when the explosion occurred and have been in search-and-rescue mode till this morning.

“I don’t have a number of how many they have rescued or how many potential bodies they have found,” he said.

Swanton also said that there is a “small amount of looting” that has happened and “that is a significant concern to us.” However, he assures that officials have the situation under control.

“The town is secure. There are plenty of law enforcement officials that are stationed around the town,” Swanton said. “There is no fire out of control. There is no chemical escape from the fertilizer plant that is out of control.”